TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025: Meet the Coach: Brama Traoré (Burkina Faso)
After the disappointing performance of the Stallions at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire last year, the Burkina Faso Football Federation decided to appoint a local coach.
The federation chose Brama Traoré, who was appointed head coach of the senior national team on 11 March 2023, replacing the Frenchman Hubert Velud, who was dismissed.
Traoré had a significant advantage over his potential competitors, having led the country's U20 team to a silver medal at the recent Jeux de la Francophonie in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
At 62 years old, Traoré, who has previously managed Burkina Faso’s youth teams (U20, U23), succeeded in one of his first major tasks by qualifying Burkina Faso for the AFCON finals.
Name: Brama TraoréPlace of Birth: Burkina FasoAge: 62 yearsTeam: Burkina Faso
Coaching Career
After a football career that took him to clubs such as Jeunesse Club de Bobo-Dioulasso and Racing Club de Bobo-Dioulasso, Brama Traoré decided to become a coach after hanging up his boots in 1993.
His coaching experience has seen him take charge of nearly all of Burkina Faso’s intermediate national teams (U20, U23, A’…).
Before his appointment as head coach, he led Burkina Faso’s U20 team to a silver medal at the 2023 Jeux de la Francophonie in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Traoré’s coaching career also saw him take charge of several local clubs, including Racing Club de Bobo-Dioulasso, his hometown club, where he won honours such as the Coupe du Faso in 2007.
Playing Style
During the qualifiers, Traoré’s tactical setup varied between 4-1-4-1, 4-3-3, and 4-2-3-1, demonstrating his flexibility and continuous search for the best solution against his opponents.
“What interests me is having a team that is in good shape and capable of getting to work. We can have a good system, but if it’s not well executed, it won’t work. I believe it’s the field that dictates the manoeuvre... What’s important is that we are really organised as a unit,” the national coach of the Stallions emphasised in an interview.
Having worked with many of the Stallions’ players in the youth categories has made his job easier since taking charge.
TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Experience
A former international midfielder (29 caps), Brama Traoré is no stranger to the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, as he was an assistant to Paul Put during the 2015 tournament in Equatorial Guinea.
Did You Know?
Brama Traoré is only the third Burkinabé coach to take charge of the national team, following Sidiki Diarra (1999-2000 and 2004-2005) and Kamou Malo (2019-2022), while the Stallions have had 17 different coaches since 1976.